The top 100 fantasy football performances since 1962

The game of fantasy football that has exploded into a cultural and financial juggernaut began with humble origins of two journalists and a partial owner of the Oakland Raiders in 1962.

Since, the advent of the internet has made the game ubiquitous, and smartphones have taken it on the go. With this being the 100th anniversary of the NFL, we decided to rank the 100 most impressive fantasy football seasons since the fake game was created.

For this ranking, we will utilize 12 games played as the minimum requirement, and the sorting is based on fantasy points per game in point-per-reception scoring. The reason for choosing PPR over standard is in the latter quarterbacks are overwhelmingly the top producers. PPR helps balance the field to a degree. Twelve games played accounts for the NFL going from 14 to 16 games in 1978 and also allows a cushion for players in the 1962-77 era to miss a couple of games and still show their dominance in relation to a modern-era player with 14 games. Additionally, including players with only 16 games also heavily infuses the rankings with quarterbacks.

Warren Moon arguably could be higher on the list, specifically due to his age at the time, having played 15 contests, and the era of football being dominated by the ground game. It was hard to bump him up with 13 interceptions and 18 fumbles, however.

Matthew Stafford’s 2011 season was the 25th-best fantasy showing ever recorded by a quarterback, and it seemingly came out of nowhere.

Jimmy Graham is the owner of the second- and third-best fantasy efforts by a tight end in fantasy history. His 2013 season still fell more than 23 points — or almost a game-and-a-half pace — behind Rob Gronkowski’s 2011 season.

Marvin Harrison filled out two spots in this segment, and while it could be contested for higher placement, I removed similar statistical efforts by Jerry Rice (arguably better years given the era), if that tells you anything.

Randall Cunningham’s 1990 season may have been only the 22nd-best fantasy quarterback effort of all-time, but it sure was fun to watch and, to a degree, revolutionary. Mobile quarterbacks preceded him, but the electricity wasn’t as obvious.

(Thomas J. Russo, USA TODAY Sports)

80-61

Rk

Year

Player

Pos

Tm

Age

G

FP/G

PPR/G

PaYds

TD

RuYds

TD

Rec

ReYds

TD

80

2013

Drew Brees

QB

NOR

34

16

22.36

22.36

5162

39

52

3

0

0

0

79

1994

Sterling Sharpe

WR

GNB

29

16

13.84

19.71

0

0

15

0

94

1119

18

78

1994

Steve Young

QB

SFO

33

16

22.13

22.13

3969

35

293

7

0

0

0

77

1968

Leroy Kelly

RB

CLE

26

14

19.50

21.07

34

1

1239

16

22

297

4

76

1984

Mark Clayton

WR

MIA

23

15

16.43

21.29

0

0

35

0

73

1389

18

75

2011

Calvin Johnson

WR

DET

26

16

16.58

22.58

0

0

11

0

96

1681

16

74

2011

Rob Gronkowski

TE

NWE

22

16

14.67

20.29

0

0

0

0

90

1327

17

73

1965

Lance Alworth

WR

SDG

25

14

17.21

22.14

0

0

-12

0

69

1602

14

72

2015

Julio Jones

WR

ATL

26

16

14.57

23.07

0

0

0

0

136

1871

8

71

1985

Joe Morris

RB

NYG

25

16

17.18

18.55

0

0

1336

21

22

212

0

70

1992

Emmitt Smith

RB

DAL

23

16

19.68

23.36

0

0

1713

18

59

335

1

69

2005

LaDainian Tomlinson

RB

SDG

26

16

19.82

23.01

47

3

1462

18

51

370

2

68

2005

Larry Johnson

RB

KAN

26

16

20.96

23.02

0

0

1750

20

33

343

1

67

1995

Cris Carter

WR

MIN

30

16

14.94

22.57

0

0

0

0

122

1371

17

66

1975

Chuck Foreman

RB

MIN

25

14

21.15

26.36

0

0

1070

13

73

691

9

65

2011

Tom Brady

QB

NWE

34

16

23.14

23.14

5235

39

109

3

0

0

0

64

2015

Antonio Brown

WR

PIT

27

16

15.76

24.26

0

0

28

0

136

1834

10

63

2002

Ricky Williams

RB

MIA

25

16

20.23

23.16

0

0

1853

16

47

363

1

62

2011

Cam Newton

QB

CAR

22

16

23.33

23.40

4051

21

706

14

1

27

0

61

2004

Peyton Manning

QB

IND

28

16

22.63

22.63

4557

49

38

0

0

0

0

Gronk’s ’11 campaign was the best we’ve ever seen from the position, and I struggled greatly with this current placement. It wouldn’t take much arm twisting to see the goofy gladiator ascend the rankings.

Lance Alworth was in a ground-focused era and managed to destroy defenses with his speed and grace. For as impressive as his 1965 stats were, Alworth actually led the NFL the following year in a five receiving categories. His contributions helped create countless downfield weapons in the years to follow.

Julio Jones was a tough one to gauge. Landing 136 receptions is an awesome feat, but in typical Julio fashion, just eight balls found their way into the end zone. Tying for the second-most catches in a single season is worth a tip of the hat.

Tying him that year was Antonio Brown. AB’s season resulted in more fantasy points and two additional scores from a player one year older than Jones. Perhaps they belong higher on the list; their era has a great deal to do with the placement.

Joe Morris’ 1985 season checks in at No. 71 for one distinct reason: 21 rushing touchdowns is dominant. He would go on to rush for more yards per game in 1986 and score 15 total times, a season worthy of acknowledgement.

In a 2005 season filled with spectacular rushing performances, Larry Johnson was an absolute fantasy beast. That year, LJ, LaDainian Tomlinson and Shaun Alexander each scored 20-plus touchdowns. Craziness. There’s a good chance that if you had him on your fantasy football roster, the season concluded with you hoisting a trophy. It would have been tough to mess it up.

As a rookie, Cam Newton showed the world why kryptonite was the only thing able to stop him. He went over 4k in passing yardage and registered an insane 14 touchdowns on the ground. In most leagues, rushing scores for quarterbacks count 1.5 times a passing strike.

Peyton Manning’s then-record 49 touchdown passes ought to be higher on the list one might say. Looking at those ranked ahead of him, No. 18 is in a fair spot. He had a pair of Hall of Fame receivers, and even Brandon Stokley topped the 1,000-yard mark that year. It was all fun to watch, but the beginning of the “sling it” era is working against him.

Drew Brees and Tom Brady show that even in less than your best years, throwing 5,000 yards and 39 touchdowns get you inside of the 100-strongest fantasy seasons of all-time. Let those numbers sink in….

(Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)

60-41

Rk

Year

Player

Pos

Tm

Age

G

FP/G

PPR/G

PaYds

TD

RuYds

TD

Rec

ReYds

TD

60

1965

Gale Sayers

RB

CHI

22

14

18.89

20.97

53

1

867

14

29

507

6

59

1983

John Riggins

RB

WAS

34

15

18.44

18.77

0

0

1347

24

5

29

0

58

1998

Jamal Anderson

RB

ATL

26

16

19.66

21.34

0

0

1846

14

27

319

2

57

1994

Emmitt Smith

RB

DAL

25

15

20.97

24.30

0

0

1484

21

50

341

1

56

1963

Jim Brown

RB

CLE

27

14

21.15

22.86

0

0

1863

12

24

268

3

55

2006

Larry Johnson

RB

KAN

27

16

20.87

23.43

0

0

1789

17

41

410

2

54

1995

Herman Moore

WR

DET

26

16

15.79

23.48

0

0

0

0

123

1686

14

53

1998

Steve Young

QB

SFO

37

15

25.08

25.08

4170

36

454

6

0

0

0

52

2018

Christian McCaffrey

RB

CAR

22

16

17.41

24.09

50

1

1098

7

107

867

6

51

1977

Walter Payton

RB

CHI

23

14

21.22

23.15

0

0

1852

14

27

269

2

50

2010

Arian Foster

RB

HOU

24

16

20.63

24.75

0

0

1616

16

66

604

2

49

1980

Earl Campbell

RB

HOU

25

15

18.56

19.29

57

1

1934

13

11

47

0

48

1995

Isaac Bruce

WR

STL

23

16

16.24

23.68

0

0

17

0

119

1781

13

47

2000

Edgerrin James

RB

IND

22

16

21.27

25.21

0

0

1709

13

63

594

5

46

2012

Calvin Johnson

WR

DET

27

16

13.78

21.40

0

0

0

0

122

1964

5

45

1985

Roger Craig

RB

SFO

25

16

18.23

23.98

0

0

1050

9

92

1016

6

44

2018

Todd Gurley

RB

LAR

24

14

22.36

26.58

0

0

1251

17

59

580

4

43

2002

LaDainian Tomlinson

RB

SDG

23

16

19.20

24.14

0

0

1683

14

79

489

1

42

2003

Randy Moss

WR

MIN

26

16

16.69

23.63

0

0

18

0

111

1632

17

41

2016

Aaron Rodgers

QB

GNB

33

16

23.75

23.75

4428

40

369

4

0

0

0

Gale Sayers was one of the NFL’s most unique weapons, and scoring 21 touchdowns in 14 games goes down in the annals of fantasy football and NFL greatness. Even though the yardage wasn’t as impressive, his versatility deserves respect.

John Riggins rumbled his way to 24 touchdowns in what would become a Super Bowl-winning year for the ‘Skins. Riggins held the NFL single-season rushing TD mark for 12 years.

Herman Moore dominated the 1995 campaign and was virtually uncoverable. In an era in which rushing was the preferred means of moving the ball, Moore’s stellar effort stole the spotlight from Barry Sanders’ 1,500 yards and 12 total scores.

In 2018, Christian McCaffrey’s versatility helped his fantasy owners crush their competition in point-per-reception formats. He’d register higher on the list with stronger stats on the ground. For comparison, Terrell Davis ran for 2,008 yards and scored 23 total times in 1998. In PPR, he and McCaffrey averaged the same 24.09 points per game. Davis averaged more than five points per game greater than McCaffrey in standard scoring, however.

Gamers with an acute memory will easily recall how thoroughly menacing Larry Johnson was in 2005 (also 2006) in what was a limited season. Despite playing 16 games, he exploded in the second half of the season, finishing with 1,750 yards and 20 rushing scores all while seeing fewer than 10 carries in FIVE games that year. He closed out the regular season with 12 total scores in five games.

Former Detroit Lions all-world wideout Calvin Johnson would be much higher on the list after setting the NFL single-season record with 1,964 yards in 2012 had it not been for scoring a lowly five times.

Only twice in NFL history has a running back joined the 1,000-yard club on the ground and through the air in the same season, and it all began with Roger Craig’s historic 1985 season.

It’s easy to overlook Todd Gurley’s 2018 season in terms of its historic relevance after it ended in such a disappointing way. In 14 games, he scored 21 total times and was an all-around threat. There’s an argument to be had he was pacing for the fantasy MVP had it not been for the arthritic knee and Patrick Mahomes.

Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports)

40-21

40

2004

Daunte Culpepper

QB

MIN

27

16

23.83

23.83

4717

39

406

2

0

0

0

39

2013

Jamaal Charles

RB

KAN

27

15

20.53

25.20

0

0

1287

12

70

693

7

38

1983

Eric Dickerson

RB

RAM

23

16

20.51

23.70

0

0

1808

18

51

404

2

37

2017

Todd Gurley

RB

LAR

23

15

21.29

25.55

0

0

1305

13

64

788

6

36

1999

Kurt Warner

QB

STL

28

16

20.58

20.58

4353

41

92

1

0

0

0

35

2012

Adrian Peterson

RB

MIN

27

16

19.21

21.71

0

0

2097

12

40

217

1

34

2016

David Johnson

RB

ARI

25

16

20.49

25.49

0

0

1239

16

80

879

4

33

2003

Ahman Green

RB

GNB

26

16

21.56

24.69

0

0

1883

15

50

367

5

32

1999

Marshall Faulk

RB

STL

26

16

19.81

25.24

0

0

1381

7

87

1048

5

31

1963

Y.A. Tittle

QB

NYG

37

13

19.90

19.90

3145

36

99

2

0

0

0

30

2003

Jamal Lewis

RB

BAL

24

16

19.44

21.07

0

0

2066

14

26

205

0

29

2002

Marvin Harrison

WR

IND

30

16

15.08

24.01

0

0

10

0

143

1722

11

28

1997

Barry Sanders

RB

DET

29

16

19.99

22.05

0

0

2053

11

33

305

3

27

1984

Eric Dickerson

RB

RAM

24

16

18.28

19.59

0

0

2105

14

21

139

0

26

2015

Cam Newton

QB

CAR

26

16

24.32

24.32

3837

35

636

10

0

0

0

25

2018

Saquon Barkley

RB

NYG

21

16

18.43

24.11

0

0

1307

11

91

721

4

24

1995

Jerry Rice

WR

SFO

33

16

18.25

25.88

41

1

36

1

122

1848

15

23

2011

Aaron Rodgers

QB

GNB

28

15

26.49

26.49

4643

45

257

3

0

0

0

22

1973

O.J. Simpson

RB

BUF

26

14

19.44

19.87

-3

0

2003

12

6

70

0

21

2010

Michael Vick

QB

PHI

30

12

26.36

26.36

3018

21

676

9

0

0

0

It’s pretty easy to forget how spectacular Daunte Culpepper was as a fantasy quarterback. His 2004 showing was the seventh-best statistical effort by a quarterback in league history. Ranking 40th may actually be a hair on the low side, but the era was turning toward the favor of passers, and quarterback scoring elevates the position in fantasy.

Kurt Warner’s 1999 season gets a major boost because of how it all came together. No one saw that coming, and it’s even still a little difficult to wrap one’s mind around 20 years later. If this list was “the most surprising fantasy performances,” there is little doubt where Warner would rate.

Adrian Peterson returned from a torn anterior cruciate ligament to nearly displace Eric Dickerson’s all-time, single-season rushing mark in 2012. It remains quite possibly the most impressive injury recovery in fantasy history, and the only thing preventing All Day from ranking higher is a relative lack of touchdowns. Every back with 2,000-yard claims scored more touchdowns, with the exception of The Juice in a 14-game slate.

Quite possibly the least likely season to come up in the conversation of all-time fantasy efforts belongs to Ahman Green in twenty-o-three. He slashed his way to nearly 1,900 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, adding another five scores on his 50 grabs. A yeoman-like 405 touches illustrated his value to the offense, and Green maintained his big-play nature, highlighted by a 98-yard TD scamper. Thirteen RB performances produced more fantasy points, and just six times a running back ran for more yards than Green’s 1,883.

Marshall Faulk was the only other man to join the 1,000/1,000 club for running backs. He was nothing short of lethal in the Rams’ masterful 1999 season, and plenty of fantasy owners ran away with their league championships thanks in large part to Faulk. This was the NFL’s 15th-best per-game showing for a PPR back, and it wasn’t even Faulk’s second-best season.

A prime example of how era matters in context to greatness, the 1963 dismantling of the league by Y.A. Tittle in just 13 games deserves every bit of this placement and possibly more. Known as the “Bald Eagle,” Tittle authored a record so prolific (single-season TDs) it stood from ’63 until 1984. It remains the New York Giants’ record and was set by a then-37-year-old in his 16th and penultimate season.

2,000-yarders are in a cherished and rare club. O.J. Simpson, Barry Sanders, Jamal Lewis, the aforementioned Peterson, and Chris Johnson all look up at Eric Dickerson as the only man in the 2,100-yard club.

Michael Vick is an obviously polarizing figure. He also piloted one of the most dangerous offenses in the modern era in 2010. In 12 games, Vick would finish with the eighth-most rushing yards by a QB a single season in league history, chipping in the ninth-most ground scores every tallied. In what was one of fantasy most impressive performances of any era, Vick’s Week 9 pummeling of the Washington Redskins resulted in an eye-popping 333-yard, four-TD passing night to go along with 80 rushing yards and two more end zone visits.

Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports)

20-11

Rk

Year

Player

Pos

Tm

Age

G

FP/G

PPR/G

PaYds

TD

RuYds

TD

Rec

ReYds

TD

20

2006

Steven Jackson

RB

STL

23

16

20.59

26.21

0

0

1528

13

90

806

3

19

2009

Chris Johnson

RB

TEN

24

16

21.81

24.93

0

0

2006

14

50

503

2

18

1984

Dan Marino

QB

MIA

23

16

22.17

22.17

5084

48

-7

0

0

0

0

17

1998

Terrell Davis

RB

DEN

26

16

22.53

24.09

0

0

2008

21

25

217

2

16

2011

Drew Brees

QB

NOR

32

16

24.73

24.73

5476

46

86

1

0

0

0

15

2007

Tom Brady

QB

NWE

30

16

24.88

24.88

4806

50

98

2

0

0

0

14

1965

Jim Brown

RB

CLE

29

14

22.34

24.77

39

1

1544

17

34

328

4

13

2005

Shaun Alexander

RB

SEA

28

16

22.74

23.68

0

0

1880

27

15

78

1

12

2007

Randy Moss

WR

NWE

30

16

17.96

24.08

0

0

0

0

98

1493

23

11

2003

LaDainian Tomlinson

RB

SDG

24

16

21.49

27.74

21

1

1645

13

100

725

4

The Rams spoiled fantasy owners with Faulk and Steven Jackson. In 2006, S-Jax went for 90 grabs on his way to a 2,334-yard showcase. He was an absolute workhorse for St. Louis and fantasy gamers alike.

It would be impossible not to include Dan Marino’s record-setting 1984 season in the top 20. In fact, it was hard to omit his 48 touchdown passes from the 10-best seasons, especially since it came in an era where no one was even close in passing prowess.

While Drew Brees threw for two fewer touchdowns than Marino, he added a running score (usually worth six points) and did a much better job protecting the ball. Oh, and chucking it for nearly 400 more yards never hurts!

Tom Brady’s ’07 season reset the record books three seasons after Peyton became the league’s new aerial touchdown king. Most impressive of all, the transformation of Brady from a fantasy nobody into an absolute stud.

Terrell Davis scored 23 times in his 2,000-yard campaign, living up to his moniker of “TD.” Denver and fans of the fake sport ran away with championships on the back of Davis in 1998.

Arguably the most beastly running back of all time, Jim Brown’s 1965 season concluded with 22 touchdowns scored in just 14 games played. He truly was a man among boys and would have dominated in any era.

Never much of a receiver, Shaun Alexander sure did have a nose for the end zone, however. In 2005, he found paydirt 27 times, which will go down as one of the best seasons ever recorded by the position. The entire year set a new benchmark for running back success, and no player was more impressive than the 28-year-old Seahawk.

Just four spots after his quarterback (Brady) made the list, Randy Moss accomplished something that will be a challenge to replicate, even in today’s pass-happy NFL. He went into the end zone a record-breaking 23 times as a pass-catcher, and only seven times in the history of the game has a player scored more times in any combination.

The do-all Tomlinson rushed for only 13 touchdowns in 2003, adding four more on his 100 receptions. He even threw a touchdown pass, which became a regular bonus from LT for a stretch. He redefined the image of a diverse fantasy football back.

(Orlando Ramirez, USA TODAY Sports)

10-1

Rk

Year

Player

Pos

Tm

Age

G

FP/G

PPR/G

PaYds

TD

RuYds

TD

Rec

ReYds

TD

10

1987

Jerry Rice

WR

SFO

25

12

20.74

26.16

0

0

51

1

65

1078

22

9

2001

Marshall Faulk

RB

STL

28

14

24.48

30.41

0

0

1382

12

83

765

9

8

1975

O.J. Simpson

RB

BUF

28

14

25.38

27.38

0

0

1817

16

28

426

7

7

2018

Patrick Mahomes

QB

KAN

23

16

26.07

26.07

5097

50

272

2

0

0

0

6

2013

Peyton Manning

QB

DEN

37

16

25.75

25.75

5477

55

-31

1

0

0

0

5

1995

Emmitt Smith

RB

DAL

26

16

22.80

26.68

0

0

1773

25

62

375

0

4

2003

Priest Holmes

RB

KAN

30

16

23.31

27.94

0

0

1420

27

74

690

0

3

2002

Priest Holmes

RB

KAN

29

14

26.62

31.62

0

0

1615

21

70

672

3

2

2000

Marshall Faulk

RB

STL

27

14

27.06

32.85

0

0

1359

18

81

830

8

1

2006

LaDainian Tomlinson

RB

SDG

27

16

26.69

30.19

20

2

1815

28

56

508

3

So when Moss broke Rice’s record of 22 touchdown catches, it was done in 16 games. What is impossible to ignore is the greatest receiver of all time managed to score his double-deuce mark in a dozen outings. He also added a rushing score. You know the usually tired adage about some records that never will be broken … just sayin’.

More impressive than his 2,000-yard haul, The Juice went into the end zone 23 times in 14 games in 1975 and galloped his way through defenses to the tune of 1,876 yards. The 2k figure is more catchy, but Simpson was at his best in ’75.

This one went back and forth a number of times: Which season was more impressive, Patrick Mahomes’ 2018 or Manning’s 2013? In the end, after flip-flopping like mad, 55 touchdowns and 5,477 yards are more impressive. Mahomes came out of nowhere, sure, and he did rush for more points, giving him the slight advantage in fantasy production. However, there’s something to be said for doing it first, and there’s even more to be said for reclaiming your own touchdown record.

The most prolific running back in league history, statistically speaking, Emmitt Smith was the best he had ever been in 1995. An absolute workhorse in a season in which several receivers emerged from the shadow of a run-oriented world, No. 22 scored his 25th touchdown to overtake Riggins as the game’s touchdown lord. Demonstrating his full array of talents, Emmitt landed 62 balls out of the backfield — arguably his least renown strength.

If there were a Mount Rushmore of fantasy football stars, Priest Holmes would deserve to be immortalized twice. He became one of the most dangerous weapons ever known in 2002 and followed it up with a season some will argue was even better. Holmes broke the plane 27 times, or thrice more than the previous year, logging four more passes and 18 yards better through the sky. His ’02 effort wins out, though, because of 195 more rushing yards and a fantasy scoring pace unlike almost anything the sport had ever witnessed. In 14 games, Holmes would register 24 visits to the Promised Land, and only one player ever accounted for more fantasy points per game on this list.

There is something comforting about knowing a player will be in your lineup week in and week out. Gamers often didn’t have that ease when it came to Faulk. But it didn’t even matter. When he was on the field, especially in his 14 games during the 2000 season, Faulk could single-handedly put your roster over the top. He mustered the highest per-game average of all in both prominent scoring systems, racking up 26 touchdowns in iconic style.

Speaking of consistently showing up for fantasy owners … The league has not seen anything like Tomlinson’s 2006 season, and it never will. As if 1,815 rushing yards and another 508 through the air weren’t impressive enough, the heart and soul of San Diego went into the end zone 28 times on the turf. LT’s scoring dominance transcended into the sky, chipping in three more touchdowns as a receiver and throwing a pair of his own. This flip of the ball is for you, No. 21.